


Architect

by orphan_account



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Designer Baby!AU, DesignerBaby!Mingyu, M/M, how tf do people summarize, nonidolsetting, prolly most of svt gang, there's like some kinda blood n stuff? idk but i upped the rating!
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-15
Updated: 2016-06-08
Packaged: 2018-06-02 08:41:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 8,502
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6559717
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mingyu was born to be perfect. But just maybe, being perfect isn't always being complete, as he is shown by a man with the name of Jeon Wonwoo.</p><p>[Designer Baby Meanie AU, in progress: rewriting the most recent chapter as I really hated it.]</p><p>Now in Russian, translated by the wonderful Anna_Raine! Fic can be found here: https://ficbook.net/readfic/4398967</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> coughs hello i am sorry  
> random au idk we had a social studies discussion and it led to this  
> it's gonna be multchapter, idk how long again sorry  
> trashy writing as always lol  
> first line esp  
> wtf is this title even

"It's coming out! Get the manager on intercom; it's vital the baby be born correctly this time!"

Loud beeping noises. Bright lights reflecting off of white, sterile surfaces. The only blemishes in the area were the straws of hay on the ground and the black mottled hide of the cow.

Men in white lab coats eased the human baby out gently, ignoring the cow's final cries and wails of pain as it slowly died.

"Oh, he's a perfect specimen," one scientist breathed slowly. The others clapped each other on the back, congratulating themselves.

The room fell silent as the baby opened its eyes. "Hello," it introduced itself using the pre-programmed sentence. "I am Kim Mingyu, ninth in the KM Project."

The men erupted into cheers even louder that before as the baby's large, dark eyes watched on in silence.

  -----------------------------------------

At three years of age, Mingyu knew basic quantum physics. By age five, he had mastered more in every subject than any esteemed academic had in their entire lifetime.

While he was quiet and reserved at school, he immediately gained popularity because of his flawless looks. With chestnut brown hair, tan skin, and a sweet smile, Mingyu was universally adored. As he entered the white car driven by yet another scientist and exited the playground, parents and students stopped short to marvel at the child who would surely become famous.

Mingyu, of course, had been 'programmed' to tell no one of the fact that he was not "normal" in the typical sense, and he had no intention of doing so. He was, after all, quite aware. 

No one knew much about the elusive Kim Mingyu, who scored perfect marks on every test he ever took, who was admired and envied by every member of the student body but never looked twice at anyone, who was invited to join every clique but declined them all.

He smiled. He looked good. He sounded good. Those who had gotten close enough said that he smelled good. That was enough to catapult him to near-idol status.

It wasn't a lonely life. Mingyu's best friend was the head scientist leading the project and they had much to talk about. Some days they discussed his anatomy. On others they discussed school life. On particularly grim days, they discussed Mingyu's projected life expectancy.

Mingyu allowed his feet to dangle over the ground, staring out the window. Dr. Lee watched him quietly. Suddenly, the boy turned his head to the doctor. "I don't actually know anything about you," he said.

Dr. Lee scuffed his polished black shoes against the unblemished white vinyl floor. Mingyu's room was plain and bare and allowed for constant monitoring. "That's not important," he waved the observation away almost nervously.

"Yes, it is," Mingyu insisted. "In books, the friends always know things about each other."

"I'm glad you consider me your friend," Dr. Lee said. "But where did you read that book?"

"At school."

"I see," replied Dr. Lee.

The next day, Mingyu was informed that he would begin homeschooling.

  ----------------------------------------

It was decided, when the boy reached the eighteenth anniversary of being artificially born, he would have to go to college and experience the outside world. A prestigious science university was located in the city, and the KM Project had actually taken use of its labs. He still lived in the white room so he could be monitored and watched over, but he did not protest. He was, after all, smart enough to know why.

He had heard, when he was still in middle school, duscission about people like him, during assignments and current events. What was it about having a cow for a mother that made you unworthy of being a human being? Why was being modified before you were born in a petri dish to be the absolute best person you could be a sin?

Mingyu was in turmoil, but that was the only thing he was not smart enough to recognize.

\-----------------------------------------

Beads of sweat glistened on Mingyu's forehead as he lifted the barbell. It was wired to track his movements and energy use. 

The door opened, and Mingyu snapped to attention, putting away the weight and standing up. "Hello, Dr. Lee. To what do I owe this pleasure?"

"Hello, Mingyu. It seems that..." here the scientist let out a barely audible sigh that Mingyu's finely tuned ears were barely able to pick up on. "It seems that a very important sponsor of this project wants to meet you. I just wanted to let you know that we are leaving for his son's concert in ten minutes."

Mingyu looked up, interested. He had tremendous musical talent, but had mastered every instrument in sight by the time he was ten. "Concert? What instrument does he play?"

Dr. Lee screwed up his face in distaste. "He doesn't play an actual instrument. He's in an idol group."

"Oh," Mingyu noted in surprise. "Okay." He stood wordlessly and left the room. Lee let out another sigh, head in his hands.

\-----------------------------------------

The drive to the stadium was silent and uneventful. Mingyu merely stared out the window, thinking of complex linear programming problems he had seen in his textbook. Mentally solving a few of the pages of equations he had memorized took him the whole fifteen-minute drive.

The arena was packed, mostly with teenage females. Some of them sent Mingyu second glances but quickly turned back to the stage. 

Dr. Lee flashed a backstage pass to the guards, who nodded imperceptibly and stepped aside.

Sitting at a table was a middle-aged man in a suit. Grey hairs streaked his dark black hairs and he wore a tired expression, but when his eyes fell upon Mingyu, they lightened favorably.

Mingyu stuck out his hand. "Nice to meet you, sir. My name is Kim Mingyu, ninth model of the KM Project."

The man ignored the proffered hand, instead looking Mingyu up and down appraisingly as one might look at items at an estate sale. Mingyu took his hand back, unoffended.

Finally, the man met Mingyu's eyes. "Kim Mingyu, was it? Good to finally...see you."

Though he knew not why, Mingyu shuddered under the cold black gaze. 

"My son is performing today. Such a shame, don't you think? Modern music is nothing compared to the classics."

Respectfully, Mingyu replied, "While I must confess that I, too prefer classical, I'm sure your son is very talented."

There it was again. The same cold, calculating gaze. "Yes. I suppose he is. Well, enjoy the show."

Mingyu felt a hand on his back. "Come on, now," said Dr. Lee, laughing nervously. "We'd better stop bothering him."

In reply, Mingyu nodded.

  ----------------------------------------

The band was a bit different from what Mingyu remembered of the idol groups girls used to fret over when he was still at school. They played instruments, even the rapper, who held a bass.

The rapper, Mingyu noted, had a very nice voice. He also had a very nice face, with chiseled features and dark eyes. Though Mingyu did not truly enjoy the music, he did appreciate it by the time the concert was over.

As they were heading out, a security guard stopped them. "Mr. Jeon would like to see you again."

Dr. Lee turned back. "Alright, which way?"

"Uh, both of you," the guard mentioned.

 ---------------------------------------

"Welcome back," said Mr. Jeon, spreading his hands. "I wanted to speak with you again, Mingyu."

"Of course, sir, I--" 

"Dad, where are the hamburgers?" called out a low, deep voice.

"They're in the fridge," Mr. Jeon sighed. "And bring us some  
light eats, we have guests and neither they nor us will leave until I finish speaking with them."

Moments later, Mingyu heard a fridge door slam. Another figure entered the room, this one the rapper from the band. He held a bowl with some snacks in it in one hand and a burger in another. "Hello, who's this?" he asked, staring at Mingyu, who lowered his eyes.

"Wonwoo, this is Dr. Lee," here Mr. Jeon gestured towards the indicated man. "And here is Kim  
Mingyu."

"Hm," Wonwoo grunted, still staring at Mingyu curiously.

"You can leave now."

Wonwoo plucked his eyes away. "Oh, right." He had the audacity to wink at Mingyu before leaving.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mingyu meets Wonwoo for the second time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> filler? filler yeah srry  
> more plot at a later date  
> for now have some random stuff idk

Mingyu swirled the spaghetti despondently around the fork, head resting in his hands. The table, with seats for at least six, was empty save for himself. Just Mingyu and the sound of beeping monitors everywhere.

The sacred silence was interrupted as a female assistant opened the door, clearly flustered. "Uh, Mr. Kim, there's, ah, well, someone is, um, waiting for you in the reception area," she stuttered, blushing madly.

Frowning, Mingyu wondered who it could be. There were very few people with clearance to visit or see him outside of school. "Who is it?" he asked, curious.

"Jeon Wonwoo," the assistant sighed, a dreamy smile on her face and a faraway look in her eyes.

That was right. Wonwoo was the son of the esteemed sponsor of the program that created Mingyu. He could have used his father's name to gain access to the compound. The only question that remained was why.

He stood up, rising to his full height and brushing off nonexistant particles from his pants, and the assistant blushed even more, something that fully escaped Mingyu's notice. He brushed past her on the way out, padding down the hall to the reception area, where he found Wonwoo still standing awkwardly by the door. 

"Please, sit," he gestured to one of the plush leather couches kept immaculate by the absence of visitors. 

Wonwoo looked up, surprised. "Oh, hello," he said, sitting down as instructed. "I don't know if you recall, but I'm from the concert, you know, Mr. Jeon's son."

Mingyu sat patiently. Of course he remembered, but he waited good-naturedly for Wonwoo to finish before responding. "I remember, Mr. Jeon. It's a pleasure to see you again."

Even Wonwoo's nervous smile was attractive, noted Mingyu.

"Please, call me Wonwoo," said the other.

"Very well. Call me Mingyu, then. Anyways, why did you come?" Mingyu asked pleasantly.

"Of course. Well, you see, I remembered seeing you at the concert, and you treated me, well, like a human instead of an idol, and I thought that it might be a good idea to have a friend who isn't a part of an idol group. Uh, that is, if you want to be friends, I mean." Wonwoo rubbed the back of his head.

Mingyu smiled, a real honest smile. Something about the other boy just made him happy. "I would love to."

Wonwoo chuckled shortly. "Thank God," he mimed wiping sweat off of his brow. "For whatever reason, getting in was really difficult. Why does your house have guards?"

"Oh, um, see..." Mingyu thought for a moment. On one hand, it was more than possible he would be treated as a freak by Wonwoo and then get in trouble for telling anyone, even the sponsor's son. On the other hand, Mingyu wanted a friend very badly, and according to books, keeping secrets from friends for long periods of time resulted in ended friendships. And Mingyu wanted the friendship to last.

"Well, if you promise not to tell anybody..." he started.

"For real, are you a secret agent? 'If I tell you, I have to kill you,' and all that crap?" Wonwoo snorted unattractively, but Mingyu smiled. 

"No, but I will get in major, major trouble."

Shrugging, Wonwoo traced a cross over his chest. "Sure, I won't tell."

"Good," Mingyu nodded affirmatively. "I'm genetically modified."

Wonwoo wrinkled his nose. "You mean like corn?"

Mingyu rolled his eyes. "No...well, I mean technically yes, but..." he gave up mid-sentence, exasperated. "Maybe you've heard of designer babies? Babies whose DNA was modified to obtain the desired traits?"

Startled, Wonwoo asked, "But wasn't further experimentation banned, like, fifteen years ago?"

"I was born before then," Mingyu spread his hands in a 'what can I do?' gesture. "And by 'born', I mean spewed out of a cow's vagina."

He received a totally shocked look from Wonwoo, whose face seemed to be normally less emotive.

"That was supposed to be funny," Mingyu sighed. "I do really have a cow mother, though. She's dead now."

Another shocked look.

"The point is, no one outside of this compound and the sponsors, one of which is your father, is supposed to know about me."

Finally Wonwoo nodded, a serious look on his face. "So that's why he met with you the other night."

"Yeah, and that other guy was the lead scientist of the project."

Standing up, Wonwoo crossed over to Mingyu's side of the room. He clasped Mingyu's shoulder, causing the younger boy to flinch and look at the hand currently in his space. "Don't worry," Wonwoo said. "Your secret is safe with me."

Mingyu smiled, breathing a sigh of relief. "Thanks," he breathed. "I was worried that you wouldn't wish to be my friend if I told you."

Wonwoo frowned, removing his hand from Mingyu's shoulder. "Of course not. You could have been a serial killer for all I care; you're too sweet for me to not want to be friends."

"Great. There's just one problem left," Mingyu said. "How are we going to get ahold of each other?"

"Oh, that's no problem. I'll get permission from my father, and should he refuse, I'll just sneak in."

"I don't want you to get in trouble, but alright."

"Right, then. How about we start now? I'll call my father," suggested Wonwoo. He took out a top-of-the-line smartphone and pressed the screen a few times before holding it up to his ear. Mingyu tuned out of the conversation Wonwoo and his father were having, preferring to go over books he'd read in the morning.

Finally, Wonwoo shoved the phone in his back pocket. "Right. First order of buisness: you're meeting my friends."

Mingyu nodded. Okay, he thought. This shouldn't be too hard.  
          
-

Boy, was Mingyu wrong.

Jun was greasier than food from McDonald's, Seokmin was too much to handle at one time, and Hansol was just strange.

The truth was that Mingyu hadn't dealt with more than one person his own age since elementary school, back when he was educated with other kids. Even then, he felt hindered by the weight of his secret.

But having told his secret to Wonwoo, he felt much lighter. 

"You know what we should do this weekend, though?" Hansol pointed at Wonwoo his fork, meat about to fall right off. "Visit that new theme park."

Seokmin grinned happily. "Aww yeah," he declared. "We're going on The Tormentor for sure this time," with a pointed glance at Wonwoo.

Wonwoo looked down, muttering, "That was one ride, guys. I went with you on all of the rest."

Mingyu smiled. Jun sniggered. Hansol almost choked.

"One ride?" he asked. "More like every other one."

Folding his arms, Wonwoo replied, "Oh yeah? Name one."

"The Vaporizer, The Tenderizer, Hoshi's House of Horrors--"

"Okay, okay! We get it!" Wonwoo shushed Hansol with a quick glance at Mingyu. "Will you be able to come?"

Shaken from his quiet post of watching the rest of them interact, Mingyu quickly shook his head. "I'm afraid not; I've got a really important college lecture to attend."

Jun shrugged. Wonwoo frowned. 

"Maybe next time, then?" Seokmin asked.

"Uh, sure. I'll definitely try."

"Good," Wonwoo interrupted. "Now, if you'll excuse us, I gotta get Mingyu back home."

Hansol smirked. "Really sweet of you," he mentioned.

"Shush, you."

-

"Thanks for letting me meet your friends," Mingyu said once they were back at the compound. "That was the most fun I've had in a while."

"Oh, no problem," said Wonwoo. "They're a strange bunch, but they mean well."

Smiling and thanking him again, Mingyu crossed the threshold, but not before giving Wonwoo a quick hug. "'Bye." 

"'Bye," Wonwoo replied, a distant look on his face.

-

"Increase weight of barbell to 160 pounds," said a voice over the intercom into the weight room where tests were being run on Mingyu. The boy obediently added the weight as instructed, lifting and lowering it with ease.

"Alright, that's enough testing for today," said Dr. Lee, walking briskly into the room and waving away the other scientists. "Mingyu, I would like to speak with you."

Mingyu nodded. "Of course."

"See, I was informed that you had met and left the laboratory with the sponsor's son a few evenings ago. I have no problem with you making friends, just make sure your main priority is learning and performing well on these tests. The future, whether it wishes to or not, relies on you."

Until the last sentence, Mingyu had been feeling traces of irritation. Who was Dr. Lee to decide how he could spend his time when he already spent so much of it in tests?

But then his responsibility hit him, along with a wave of pride. "Very well," Mingyu started. "I shall do my best."

"Thank you for your understanding," Dr. Lee seemed almost relieved. "You may go back to your room."

In his room, Mingyu slowly pulled out his newest math textbook, only to slide it back into its place in one of the many bookshelves that lined his room.

Suddenly, a gust of air hit the side of Mingyu's face. He turned to his window and saw a shadow squatting on the sill. Opening his mouth, Mingyu was about to call for security, but the figure shushed him, saying, "It's me, Wonwoo!"

"Wonwoo?" Mingyu crinkled his nose. "What are you doing here?"

Wonwoo stared. "Buying ice-cream. No, idiot. I'm here to see you."

"Oh my gosh, we are going to get in so much trouble if anyone finds out!"

"Rest easy, I won't stay long. Just wanted to leave this." He dropped a note in. "I'll stop by again in two days; even if you can't come we can spend more time together."

"Sure," Mingyu smiled.

-

'VIP Pass for One to FIVE's Concert.'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> mmm thanks for reading!  
> Never expected it to get as much support as it has, so thanks again!
> 
> ps four is the band because haha, four members, would you look at that name skill there
> 
> edit 4/22/16- lol i just realized that there are FIVE members, not four so ima change that mkayyy


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The concert goes smoothly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> haha bad summary i know but cant give anything away hint hint wink wink  
> sorry really short chapter but i wont have access to writing for like a week so i wanted to get this out

The ticket clutched tightly in Mingyu's slim hands felt flimsy and artificial and not nearly real enough to get him backstage to such a large concert. The venue was at the stadium a few towns over from the compound where he had spent his whole life, and despite Dr. Lee's presence, he was not wholly comforted.

Presenting it to the guard, he was given a thorough screening before entering backstage. Mingyu turned around and waited patiently for Dr. Lee as the other received his security check.

Tapping his shoulder, Dr. Lee whispered, "I'll be over by the water if you need me; I'm leaving once the concert starts. Once it ends, I'll be back to pick you up, so don't go anywhere."

Mingyu nodded to let the man know that he had heard. He nervously played with the seams of his oversized sweater before walking over to the group of boys that stood near the entryway to the left wing, chatting and laughijg away happily.

As he approached, Hansol noticed him and waved an arm at him while standing on his tiptoes to make himself seen. "Get over here, dude! Join us!"

"You know the whole reason I was walking in your direction was to join you, right?" Mingyu asked quietly with a hint of sarcasm in his voice.

Jun covered his mouth and pointed ecstatically at Hansol. "Dude," he started, breaking down in fits of laughter, "that was the best roast anybody's gotten on Hansol since forever!"

Wonwoo turned to Mingyu and smiled admiringly at the younger boy. "Glad to see you came," he said.

"Of course, it was my pleasure. Thank you for inviting me."

"Uh, guys, good to see you're still getting on breezy and all, but the concert begins in about five minutes, so we'd better go. See you afterwards, Mingyu?" mentioned Seokmin with a bright, if apologetic smile.

"Definitely. Good luck!"

"Thanks, see you," waved Wonwoo as he went towards the edge of the elaborate staging, casting one last glance at Mingyu.

Meanwhile, Mingyu quickly made his way up to the front row.

The show started with a literal bang, lighting up the dark stage with dangerous-looking pyrotechnics. 

In tandem, the band executed their moves perfectly, and energy flowed through the stadium as they performed. Glow sticks waved in time to the music, brighter and thicker than a cloud of fireflies.

Wonwoo caught Mingyu's eye during his rap and winked. Mingyu smiled back amidst crowds of desperate fans looking around, trying to figure out who the idol had winked at.

-

After flashing his backstage pass at the guard once again, Mingyu went to congratulate the band.

He found them gluttonously drinking water, evidently thirstly from the draining performance.

"Great show, guys."

It took another five seconds for Wonwoo to finish gulping down the plastic cup he was holding and reply. "Thanks," he said, wiping his mouth. 

Mingyu focused on the little drops of water running down his face as a dull ringing filled his ears. 

"--Mingyu? Mingyu? Are you okay?" 

Snapping back into focus, Mingyu realized that he had been staring. "Oh, sorry, I got a little woozy for a moment."

Wonwoo still looked concerned, and the rest of the band did as well. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine, thanks."

"Okay, if you say so."

The members of FIVE continued discussing the concert, pulling up a folding chair for Mingyu at their table. Meanwhile, the ringing in Mingyu's ears grew stronger and stronger. He clenched his fists in his lap and centered his vision on the ground that seemed so far below.

"--Right, time to wrap up, I guess. Mingyu, Dr. Lee just texted me through my dad because he says you're not answering. He also says that he'll be here in five minutes."

"Alright, thanks," Mingyu attempted to stand up, only for the ringing in his ears to reach a fever pitch. He promptly collapsed in a heap on the ground, and his last word before succumbing to the dull roar in his mind was, "Oops."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks for reading bro


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> you know what fuck adding a summary this chapter is short enough
> 
> also sorry for being so little so late i was out oops
> 
> not to mention bts dropped that lit mv + that album wow
> 
> reasonable amount of plot progression tho

The bright white of the room. The stubborn beeping of monitors accompanied by the rush of the footsteps of scientists.

Mingyu remembered this. It was the day he was born.

The light dimmed a fair bit, and the room became visible to the boy. Soon enough, he saw a wrinkled littled baby cradled in the arms of a man Mingyu recognized as a much younger Dr. Lee as the baby engaged in intelligent conversation with the gaggle of excited scientists around him, all doing their best not to squeal at how cute the infant was and thus offend him.

Grown Mingyu stepped carefully into view of the people, but before he could attempt to call out, the brightness went down too far for him to see anything.

When Mingyu was able to see again, he stood just outside of an office door, fake palm plants placed to his right and left in intricately designed pots.

He had to know where it was. How else would he remember it? But Mingyu, be it a result of his unknowing state of unconsciousness or some other reason, could not place it.

Muffled voices he could not distinguish filtered through the teakwood door. 

"He's a weapon, and should be treated as such!" argued one. "We could force the government to its knees within YEARS with his intelligence!"

"No, we can't. Despite the fact that he was more created than born, it would be immoral to treat him as anything less than human. We have already crossed ethical boundaries as it is," another voice, considerably more tired, said.

"Whatever you say, he is nothing more than a tool, created to obey and achieve our wishes and needs!"

Mingyu flinched, curling into himself. There was no way that the people inside the room could be discussing anyone but him.

The voices faded in and out of hearing like an old radio. Lights dimming once again, Mingyu felt himself return to consciousness.

-

Immediately, the boy sat up and rubbed his head instinctively. "What happened?"

"Oh, not much. You just got a bad headache and, oh, died."

Looking over, Mingyu realized that Dr. Lee stood at the foot of his bed, arms crossed. "Gave us quite a scare, there."

"I'm sorry," Mingyu replied, eyes down.

Dr. Lee sighed. "Don't be," he dismissed the apology. "Your heart stopped, your pupils wouldn't dilate, hell, you had ZERO brain activity!"

"I experienced a headache and did not realize its severity, never having had one previously."

Releasing a breath of air slowly, Dr. Lee put the tips of his fingers together, a gesture that indicated that he was deep in thought.

After a minute or so, he looked up and met Mingyu's eyes. "Perhaps it would be for the best if you were to stay somewhere else.

Mingyu's breath caught. "Are you...kicking me out?"

"Think of it as finding your place in this world and becoming experienced. Trust me, it may not seem like a good thing now, but you'll be grateful later. Not to mention, you'll come back every month or so for tests."

Bowing his head, Mingyu accepted his fate.

"I'll make a few calls," said Dr. Lee. "If all goes well, perhaps you might end up staying with your friend Wonwoo."

"Thank you," replied Mingyu, anxiety bubbling in his chest.

-

A few hours later, Mingyu stood outside the door of a flat in what seemed to be a very lavish apartment complex. He rung the bell nervously, sound chiming through the hall.

Wonwoo opened the door. "Hey," he said, leaning up against the frame. "From what Dr. Lee said, you're supposed to be staying with someone after that fainting spell and he's out too often, but it's really got something to do with your...circumstances, doesn't it?"

Mingyu blinked. "Yeah, it does. Thanks for being here on such short notice."

"No problem, but just a quick warning: FIVE goes on tour sometimes, so we might be traveling. Another disclaimer--"

"WONWOO, WE ARE OUT OF CHICKEN," called a voice from what was most likely the kitchen.

Head in his hands, Wonwoo sighed. "The band comes over a lot."

"That won't be a problem of any sorts," laughed Mingyu. "I think this'll be great."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks for reading :'^)


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ahh sorry for making y'all wait, but idk how long this is going to be anymore? like i feel like i wrote the peeps ooc af but also like forcing the personalities now  
> would be worse? idk sorry! :/ i am trying to take my time and not end this in a big rush tho

Walking around the huge apartment, Mingyu felt less tired than he could remember feeling in days. "Wow, this is gigantic!" he remarked excitedly.

"You should see the kitchen," mentioned Hansol, who joined them on their brief tour with a chicken drumstick clenched in his fist. "Also, the pad, 'cause there are some sweet games and a crazy TV."

"Of course you'd know," said Wonwoo, rolling his eyes. "You, unfortunately, are here almost more often than any other member."

Hansol shrugged. "Hey, if the food's good..."

"So you don't live with your father?" asked Mingyu curiously.

"Nah, I moved out when I made enough money. Got my freedom, right?"

They continued the walk in silence with the exception of a brief explanation of each room by Wonwoo.

At the end of the tour, Mingyu turned to Wonwoo. "By the way, you will be provided monetaey compensation for your troubles, so thanks again for letting me stay here."

Wonwoo again waved it off. "This one," he said, pointing to Hansol, "stays here often enough to practically be living here and he doesn't provide anything. You don't worry about it either, okay?"

Though still unsure, Mingyu nodded. He headed off to his room right next door to Wonwoo's to unpack. Realizing that Wonwoo wouldn't care, Mingyu didn't bother folding his clothes neatly, instead throwing them inside the walk-in closet. The same went for the toiletries, simply placing the bag on the sink counter. He exchanged his itchy pressed button-up for a large grey sweatshirt. Then, he left the room, headed for the pad that Hansol had spoken so highly of.

"Yo," the casually dressed boy greeted as Mingyu entered the room. "I see you've discovered where the magic happens."

"I suppose," shrugged Mingyu, sweater rippling fluidly with the movement as he sat down cross-legged on the floor next to Hansol.

Just then, Wonwoo came into the room. He held out an envelope to Mingyu who accepted it. "This came," he said. "It's from Lee."

The envelope was standard issue, so Mingyu opened it without hesitation. By the dim light of the flat-screen television on which Hansol viewed his game, Mingyu managed to read out a short note.

"Mingyu, since you are staying in a less than educationally sound environment, it would be for the best if you were to complete routine problem-solving evaluations to keep your brain sharp. Send your answers back to us for checking."

Upon looking, Mingyu discovered that also enclosed was a pen as well as another slip of paper, this one with a rather lengthy word problem.

"Ian is trapped inside a maze. His only option for escape is to make it to the center within twelve hours, where he will be rescued by one of his friends. The maze has seven outer walls and six rings with turns at random intervals of either four feet, six feet, or ten feet, but even if he makes it to the center in time, there is a chance that his friend will be shot. Therefore, what are his chances for escspe?"

Mingyu divided the problem into a few parts. First, the chances the man has of getting to the center. Simple. Next, the chances the friend would be shot. Even simpler. Before picking up the pen, though, he thought for a moment on what a strangely grim scenario the man was in.

He shrugged and dived right in. Wonwoo placed a small plate of finger food by the younger boy in case he got hungry, but Mingyu never deviated. 

Soon, he was finished. He resealed the envelope and placed it on a counter, mentally reminding himself to go back for it. In the meantime, Mingyu was very hungry and the tiny plate of food was not going to cut it.

The flat, though big, was rather open in design, so Mingyu made his way to the kitchen in ease. The light coming in from the large, floor-to-ceiling windows had just taken on the orangeish tinge Mingyu knew to mean that night was not far off. 

Rummaging through the fridge, he came across nothing more that hamburgers and cheese. Mingyu decided that a burger was okay and pulled the one that looked safest to eat out, the others at varying stages of decay. 

He was joined by Jun and another male, this one with one of Jun's arms wrapped around his slim shoulders. "Oh, hey, Mingyu," said Jun. "This is my boyfriend, Minghao." Mingyu detected a rather large amount of pride and adoration in his voice as gave the last statement. Minghao waved hi. The boy seemed sweet enough, if not prone to talking. 

Not wanting to invade on their couple time, Mingyu hastily retreated to the game room where Hansol was still deeply engrossed in his shooting game. Sitting down criss-cross-applesauce beside the other boy, Mingyu asked, "Can I play?" 

"Sure," was the eager reply, switching the game into two-player. 

Before long, Mingyu had completely decimated Hansol, having easily figured out the logisitcs of the game. The younger male muttered crossly to himself before switching the game to single player and leaving. Mingyu heard the door slam.

Just then, Wonwoo came in. "So, did you beat Hansol?"

"Yeah," Mingyu commented. "He seemed kinda put off."

Wonwoo chuckled softly. "That's just him. He'll go home and play the game again to try and get better, but you'll probably still beat him again. Well, goodnight."

-

Mingyu settled into life at Wonwoo's fairly quickly. Games, burgers, arguments, and of course the twice-a-week mind-benders sent in by Dr. Lee all soon became the norm, for the young male at least. Once, when Wonwoo asked, Mingyu showed him th equation he had been sent, but the idol just shook his head admiringly.

One week, however, Mingyu's letter from Dr. Lee was a bit different from the rest.

"Mingyu, 

You have proven more cognitively functional than all of the scientists here at this lab. We believe it would be a better use of our time now to pursue a further understanding of your physiological structure. Please report back to the lab once a week."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks for reading!


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yo random-ass chapter  
> hopefully some cd in next chapter, idk  
> but wowee bts n monsta x i'm very dlsljsdmddms
> 
> Actually, though, all the support has been wonderful. You have given me ideas and inspiration, and your kind comments and kudos and subs and reads help  
> me gain the will i sometimes need to work on this. So thanks.

The first day of testing was scheduled for the following Tuesday. Mingyu made sure to leave a note explaining where he was going. He left it in Wonwoo's room to make sure no one else found out about his special genes, though he had written it so nothing might have seemed suspicious.

The lab wasn't too far, but he hailed a cab anyways. He liked the background chatter and friendly, not-too-personal banter the drivers offered, as he discovered.

Far too soon, the ride was over and Mingyu stepped out with his duffel bag into the slightly chilly air. The fence was just as imposing as he remembered, but only if one focused on it, and Mingyu had stayed for so long inside the compound that it didn't really intimidate him. Furthermore, it was designed to blend in and not cause unnecessary curiosity.

He pressed the button that activated the intercom. In a low voice so as not to allow others walking along the sidewalk to hear, the male dictated, "Kim Mingyu, 18. Reporting as instructed for testing."

"Right away, sir."

The gate opened up, and Mingyu stepped into the familiar compound. He made his way to the main building and was told to head right into the testing facility. 

As always, machines for excercise and measurement stood side-by-side. Mingyu remembered when he was eight and they had him run seven miles in under an hour to test the respiratory response. Of course, he had easily completed the task.

He dropped his bag on the ground, pulling out a water bottle and a change of casual excercise clothes. Mingyu entered the locker rooms to change into his standard workout attire of a tank top and shorts. The water bottle he filled at a sink in one of the exam rooms across the hall. One of the possible tests was excercise without hydration for extended periods of time, but it was better to be prepared, especially when they never allowed the boy to leave the room during tests.

Just as Mingyu was about to begin stretching, Dr. Lee walked in with a plethora of scientists and researchers. "No warm-ups today, Mingyu. We want to see how well your body can handle not stretching and a sudden increase in activity." 

Mingyu frowned. Not stretching at the very least could end up doing some serious damage. "But Dr. Lee, wouldn't it be good to at least --"

He was cut off. "Don't worry, we will make sure nothing happens, and if something does, we will take care of you, not to mention study your cell regeneration rate."

"Alright," Mingyu consented. "What first?"

-

Seven hours later, Mingyu stumbled back into Wonwoo's apartment, making a (slow) beeline to the kitchen where he chugged as much water as he could easily pour without spilling. 

Gasping, Mingyu wiped his mouth and breated heavily. The tall boy closed his eyes and tried to steady his rapidly pounding heartbeat.

"Jeez, Mingyu, you look like a wreck," commented Seokmin who had just come into the kitchen.

Mingyu chuckled dryly. "I feel like one, too."

Seokmin frowned, concerned. "What happened?"

"Nothing much, guess I just pushed myself too hard at the gym today." Mingyu made up a white lie on the spot.

"Good for you, man. Way to go."

"Thanks," replied Mingyu. "I think I'll go change. I already showered there, so I don't think I'll stink up the place."

"Right, well, see you."

-

Exhaustion had Mingyu yawning as he crossed the threshold into his room. He was about to rummage through his closet for some pyjamas when the male realized that he wasn't actually in his room. He was in Wonwoo's, and the rapper was watching him amusedly from the bed where he lay looking at something on his phone. "You seem tired," he said, sitting up and patting the bed next to him to invite Mingyu to sit down.

Mingyu accepted the offer readily, crashing onto the bed and causing it to rattle in the frame. 

The older boy was silent, allowing Mingyu to take a minute and breathe.

"They had me run," he started, "for seven hours."

Wonwoo looked over, rather worried. "You okay? I mean, I know you're probably able to handle it, being, you know, uh..."

"You mean genetically engineered? Yeah, I'm able to handle it, but I still need water to rehydrate, especially when going that long."

"They didn't let you get water?"

Mingyu thought for a moment before he spoke. "No, but it's not that bad, I suppose."

Wonwoo snorted. "'That bad'? It sounds worse."

"Anyway," remarked Mingyu, eager to steer the conversation in a safer, less Mingyu-oriented direction. "How was YOUR day?"

"Pretty good. Mingyu," Wonwoo replied, apparently resisting Mingyu's best efforts to avoid discussion of himself, "how were you created?"

Mingyu was a bit startled. It wasn't a very common question, but he was prepared to answer. "Well," he started, "the scientists simply modified the genes--certain genes control certain characteristics, like in fruit fl--"

"I want to know about you, not the fruit fly."

"Oh, right. Sorry. Well, they simply modified the genes until they would express the desired traits, all while I was still a little cell."

Thinking for a moment, Wonwoo asked, "So the only difference between you and me is that your genes were pushed around a little?"

"It's a bit more complicated than that. The real question, of course, is ethics, whether man should be playing God like this or not. But I suppose, at the root of it, you are correct."

Wonwoo stared at the ceiling, seemingly enraptured by the popcorn texture. "That's good."

"Yeah," Mingyu watched the ceiling as well, hoping to find some answers to any of his questions. "It is."

-

Every few days, Mingyu returned from testing to the apartment tired and thirsty. Each time, he would report straight to Wonwoo's room, where the older male would be waiting with a few glasses of water and a listening ear. After the first time, by unspoken truce, neither of them mentioned the tests. Instead, they talked about much more mundane things, like what celebrities Wonwoo had seen at a party or what Mingyu had read. 

Meanwhile, the tests only got harder and harder. Sustained six-hour weight training, intensive cardio, flexibility tests that went far beyond the capability of a normal human, each trial borne without breaks, water, or a single complaint. The apologetic glances from Dr. Lee assured him that they were being forced to try Mingyu like this.

So he bore them patiently.

Until they ordered him to perform the most grueling task yet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks for reading!  
> coughs sorry if i got too sentimental in the notes also sorry for bustin out the fruit flies


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> his palms are sweaty  
> knees weak arms are heavy  
> there's vomit on his sweater already mom's spaghetti

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> short hella late chapter sorry guys! i do have plot planned for the next one tho heck yea 
> 
> the summary is true tho  
> mostly

"Twelve hours?" asked Mingyu, thinking he had heard wrong.

"Twelve hours," confirmed Dr. Lee reluctantly. 

"But surely I couldn't go for that long at the pace I've been going at for the past few weeks; especially not without water!"

"We've been allowed to slow down the pace minimally, and small amounts of water every two hours."

Mingyu closed his eyes and placed a hand against his forehead. This wasn't doing any good to his body, because what food available at Wonwoo's was unhealthy and much of it was claimed by his other friend's before Mingyu got back. The weight loss was, therefore, very extreme, though some muscle had been developed.

"This is the last one," said Dr. Lee, wincing in sympathy for Migyu. "There are, of course, more tests after this, but they are of a different kind."

Nodding, Mingyu opened his eyes resolutely. There was no way to escape this. "Let's start."

-

It was hell.

There was no other way to describe it.

For starters, he caught himself drifting off a few times, His sleep the prior weeks having been fitful at best and completely absent at worst. Then, the pains. His muscles, though well-formed, were simply not meant for the strenuous exercise they performed. 

By the day of his last test, Mingyu had stopped sweating. It simply wasn't a task possible for his body, as he hadn't been getting enough water to compensate for the exertion. 

And still the treadmill ran on. The male stopped thinking and allowed his body to focus on placing one foot in front of the other as the track cycled neverendingly. His steps grew increasingly out of phase as his fatigue increased and about halfway in Mingyu was struggling to keep up with the treadmill.

"Stop this machine!" Dr. Lee cried out, distressed. 

The technicians looked up, alarmed. "But sir, orders--"

"Blast the orders, the kid might die!"

Looking relieved, the technicians allowed the treadmill to slow down gradually to minimize any further damage. Each step was a burden to Mingyu, and when the track came to a stop, he slumped over, one bronzed arm around Dr. Lee's shoulders to support himself. "Thanks," he rasped, trying to save his breath.

Dr. Lee wrapped an arm around the young male's shoulders. He was far shorter and stouter than Mingyu but did his best to hold up the other. "Don't thank me. We still have to continue this in about," he checked his watch. "Five minutes."

Though tired, Mingyu supposed that was the best he could hope for. He nodded and sat down on the bench near the weights, preparing himself for the long run ahead.

-

"All right, you're done," Dr. Lee motioned for Mingyu to step off of the treadmill. "Your results declined over the week, but that was to be expected."

The aforementioned boy practically fell away from the machine, slumping near the water cooler and drinking all the water he could cup in his hands. 

"You're free to go, just keep in mind that you only have a week before the next and final phase of testing begins."

Mingyu slurped water for a good three minutes before wiping his mouth and getting to his feet. He summoned the strength to take a shower and called for a taxi, immediately falling asleep against the inside of the door and waking up only when the kind driver shook him awake.

Instead of going to his bedroom, he headed straight to Wonwoo's. It was fairly late, and the apartment was totally dark, but the older boy was sitting on the edge of the bed, waiting. "How'd it go?" Wonwoo asked.

In answer, Mingyu collapsed on his bed face-first. When Wonwoo tried to shake the younger, he received no response.

"That bad, huh?" he whispered. "You can tell me about it tomorrow," before he lay down beside Mingyu.

-

When Mingyu woke up, he was surprised to find out that not only was it light outside, it was silent in the apartment itself.

He wandered to the kitchen, and received another surprise.

"Hey, want a pancake?" Wonwoo offeted him a plate, which Mingyu eagerly accepted, stomach rumbling in protest of his unintentional fasting on the previous day. They both sat down at the bar accompaning the island and for the next five minutes, nithing but the faint sound of utensils scraping against the plate as Mingyu cut up the pancakes could be heard.

"Oh my god, I really needed that," emphasized Mingyu. "Like really, twelve hours is not fun. About halfway through I sort of stumbled and almost fell of the treadmill and they had to let me stop but only for like five minutes and then I had to continue, but I have more testing in a week." A night of solid sleep and other ones invested in chats with Wonwoo had strengthened Mingyu's trust in and respect for the other male.

Wonwoo looked seriously taken aback. "Jeez, that's crazy! You at least had water, right?"

"Yeah, they gave me that much."

"You know," Wonwoo started, looking down. "I feel kinda bad. After all, my father is a main sponsor, and I'm not doing anything to persuade him that you should be under less stress."

"No, don't worry! It's not your fault, plus this is a solid way to measure my abilities. Plus, I'm sure your dad isn't responsible for this."

Wonwoo didn't look too convinced, but Mingyu did his best to tell him that he was fine, that they were both fine.

"Can I get you dinner or something to make up for it?" asked Wonwoo, still looking slightly guilty.

Mingyu laughed. "If you feel that badly and I get dinner out of it, who am I to argue?"

Finally a smile traced itself across Wonwoo's face. "Of course. Just know that it's a burger place, so no formal clothes."

-

Burger Bonanza was by no means the classiest place in town. Pop music blared out of speakers and it was located in a poorer, if very charismatic part of town. Mingyu almost felt too dressed up in another large sweater, jeans, and high tops. But then again, there was Wonwoo, wearing jeans, a nice button-up, and Timberlands. 

"It's been a while since I came here," he scratched the back of his head sheepishly.

Shaking his head and laughing, Mingyu smiled. "Oh, so I'm just an excuse to come eat burgers now, am I?"

Wonwoo scoffed. "I don't need an excuse, especially not one as poor as you."

"True. You eat enough for the both of us anyway."

"Don't remind me!"

Mingyu ended up ordering the largest thing on the menu. The waitress looked like she was about to question it, but took one look at his lean figure and who he was with and stopped, calling out their orders to the kitchen. 

"We've got an arrangement, me and her."

"Yeah?" Mingyu tilted his head.

"Yeah," Wonwo nodded. "I tip her amazingly, and she doesn't ask questions."

"Seems like a good deal to me," laughed Mingyu.

"Especially since I have to take the other members here so often."

Mingyu shuddered. "Oh, gosh."

"'Oh, gosh,' is right. Those kids eat amounts that would give me nightmares."

They laughed together, and everything in that moment was perfect, at least for Mingyu.

-

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all the positive responses I have gotten for this fic!
> 
> [also idk wtf was up with this workout yeaaa i just went big n went home you know]


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> tw i guess but im not too sure what, sorry!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yeah life has been busy and im really sorry for not updating! (also if u thirstin for another excuse i accidentally deleted this and had to rewrite it)  
> on another note i upped the rating to m just in case! i personally dont think it's too bad but eh  
> also dear lord save me eXOS COMEBACK

Of course, it's Mingyu's life. Everything goes to shit eventually.

It began the night after the burgers. Mingyu suddenly woke up, dread and something else settling in his stomach, lurching violently. He got up and stumbled his way over to the bathroom, flicking on the switch carelessly and clutching his belly. Soon he was heaving into the sink, trying to stay quiet as tears slipped down his cheeks. 

But Wonwoo heard, and approached. "Are you alright?" he asked, leaning up against the doorway, hand on the frame. 

"Yeah," Mingyu tried to reply clearly and cohesively. "I just think the burger might have been too much after, you know, the week I've had. It's my own fault." He smiled through his tears, trying to persuade the other that he's okay.

Wonwok frowned, noting the red wetness of the youngers eyes and padding over. He wiped away Mingyu's tears, if not gently, because Wonwoo, though he tried his best, was not as coordinated as Jun. And Wonwoo rubbed circles into his back to soothe him, and that's how they stayed late into wee hours of the morning.

When Mingyu finally stopped retching, they both headed back to Wonwoo's room, Mingyu not wanting to be alone and Wonwoo willing to stay with another. The two of them lay on separate sides of the bed, facing opposite directions. But when Mingyu is certain Wonwoo is asleep, he turns over and inches closer and closer to the older boy's back. At some point, he reached almost an inch away and could see the other's back rising and falling steadily, so he stopped right there. If Wonwoo asked, he would just reply that he was a restless sleeper, and after the time he'd had, Wonwoo wouldn't question it.

-

Soon enough, it was time for the final, eagerly anticipated tests to begin. Mingyu was driven to the research center by Wonwoo. Sometimes, since Mingyu came home so late and got up so early, he forgot Wonwoo was in a band and had to work crazy hours as well. But Wonwoo had a break day and though Mingyu tried to convince him to take the day off, he had insisted. 

"Right, see you later," Mingyu waved and smiled, if a bit nervously.

Wonwoo grinned charmingly, and Mingyu's nerves seemed to settle a bit. "Have fun."

The memory of the grin gave Mingyu the courage to head into the new room. This one seemed much more spacious, but it was almost completely dark, save for a spotlight that illuminated a chair in what Mingyu assumed was the center of the room, and Dr. Lee, who stood by it, hand resting on the chair's spine.

"Come in, sit," pronounced Dr. Lee.

A swarm of sharply stinging hornets rared up in Mingyu's stomach. For a moment, he thought he would be sick again. So when he sat, he clenched the arms of the chair desperately, though he remained outwardly calm.

"This final stage of testing is a bit...different than your other stages. I'm afraid I can't tell you how, or I would have, but all I can say is that I'm terribly sorry for what you'll have to go through."

Mingyu frowned. This was unexpected. He had accounted for some other kind of mental and physical abilities test, both aspects of his previous exams present in some way.

"Shall we start, then? Okay."

Without waiting for a reply, Dr. Lee gestured for the assistants to turn off the lights. Mingyu's instincts flared, but cuffs locked his hands and feet in place before he could do anything. A blindfold in his eyes, a gag in his mouth, and the final touch, anesthetics coursing through his veins.

-

When he regained consciousness, Mingyu was still gagged and bound and more than a bit groggy, but he woke up immediately when he spotted Wonwoo.

"Hey!" he called out, though his words were made obscure by the cloth stuffed in his mouth.

Wonwoo was already heading over. "What happened?" he asked, the slightest of worried expressions gracing his face.

Rolling his eyes, Mingyu puffed out his cheeks to show that he couldn't speak.

"Oh, right!" Wonwoo laughed, but made no motion to release the gag. 

Mingyu frowned. It had only been a few seconds, but he could already tell that something was very, deeply wrong.

"See, I know what's happening." The grin on Wonwoo's face now was nothing like the kind, reassuring one he had worn earlier. In his hand was a switchblade, and from the shadows more Wonwoos, each with a different weapon, approached. 

The original Wonwoo began to carefully carve the knife against Mingyu's struggles into the younger's skin. And with each slice and slip of the blade, Mingyu's flawless golden skin slowly descended into a beautiful latticework of red and tan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so thank you all for being endlessly patient and so supportive of this story! :)

**Author's Note:**

> lol really short i should work on that  
> thanks for reading~


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